


Falling Comes First

by LeedlingwithRageHappy



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Fluff, Friendship, M/M, Romance, Wing AU, drabble sort of but not really, joelay - Freeform, practice writing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-08
Updated: 2014-09-08
Packaged: 2018-02-16 14:25:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2273145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeedlingwithRageHappy/pseuds/LeedlingwithRageHappy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Ray learns to fly</p>
            </blockquote>





	Falling Comes First

“Do you trust me?”

Ray stared at the hand in front of him and then at the owner of said hand, quirking his eyebrow. In return, Joel rolled his eyes and thrust his hand even more in Ray’s face.

“Is it too late to say no?” Ray joked to cover his nervousness when he saw only sky and tree tops behind Joel.

No reply came from the other man and Ray reluctantly lifted his hand to grab Joel’s. Before he could say anything else, Ray’s hand was snatched and he was thrown off the cliff-side, barreling down headfirst. He was too shocked to scream and his body froze as the ground was getting closer by the second. Any anger that Ray had towards Joel was absent, his mind only filled with the thought to not die. 

“Goddamnit, Ray! What are you doing?”

Somehow, screaming words managed to reach Ray’s ears past the wind and his brain remembered why he was falling in the first place. A calming sensation washed over him and Ray closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. In his mind, an image of large wings formed and he told himself he would live through this if he unfurled them. At that moment, Ray felt his entire body snap and then shoot upwards, astounded that he hadn’t broken himself in two. The sudden change in direction gave the Puerto Rican a new strength and he lazily opened his eyes to see brown, feathery wings on either side of him. He was amazed at the power his wings held, now understanding why he and others before him had to wait until their 25th birthday to learn how to fly.

He carefully slowed himself down this time and floated around in the air in a lazy manner, looking around for his companion. The beating of another pair of wings made him turn around and he sheepishly grinned when he saw the somewhat upset look on Joel’s face. 

“You’re lucky,” Joel growled. “If any other newbie had done what you just did, they probably would’ve died.”

“Well, you shouldn’t have just thrown me off like that,” Ray said defensively and crossed his arms.

Joel rolled his eyes as he let out a huff. “I asked if you trusted me.”

“Trust is not chucking someone off a cliff.”

The two then glared at each other, both too stubborn to see the others’ point of view, until a voice interrupted their silent anger.

“Yo, lovebirds, it’s time for lunch!”

Ray looked over to see Michael standing on the cliff, waiting expectantly. “I see you did your job, Heyman,” he called out. 

“Of course. I helped you fly, didn’t I?” Joel yelled back and in return, received a middle finger from Michael.

This made Ray chuckle and he felt the tension slowly slip away as he looked back at the older man. “Thank you,” he said sincerely, not wanting to stay mad at Joel.

Joel shrugged and smiled at the younger. “All part of being in the company.”

“Uh huh. So all those late nights were just over-time?” Ray grinned, hinting at the fact that Joel may have given him more attention with flying tips than any other employee that needed to get their wings. 

What came out of Joel’s mouth next caught Ray so off-guard that he nearly forgot how to fly at that moment. 

“Well, if that’s what it takes to get a date from a cute guy like you, then sure.”

Ray felt his face heat up and he stammered in attempt for a comeback, but seeing the smug grin on Joel’s face made all words disappear. It didn’t help when Joel flew in close, the tips of their wings brushing against each other with every beat. 

“So…,” Ray swallowed. “Are you asking me out?”

Joel chuckled and looked towards the cliff. “We should go eat.”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Ray dead-panned, but when the smile didn’t leave the older man’s face, worry filled his mind. 

“Fine,” Joel sighed dramatically. “Date Friday night? Your choice of restaurant, but obviously my treat.”

Despite this proposition coming from out of the blue, Ray was satisfied with this answer and he nodded. A part of him felt he should’ve seen this coming after all the “extra care” Joel had provided, but Ray had to admit he was still pretty naïve when it came to certain things

“Sounds like a-“ He began before his words were quickly cut off as Joel’s lips touched his own, quick and soft.

With a wink, the older man flew off, leaving a finally shocked Ray in the dust to process the situation. Blinking rapidly, Ray tried to bring himself to reality and then scoffed with an eye-roll. Secretly, he was enjoying all of this, but wasn’t about to admit it to himself and the world as he followed Joel’s lead to the cliff.

The previous event was nearly forgotten when Ray was swarmed by friends and employees alike with congratulations until he managed to catch the sight of Joel raising his beer bottle to Ray with his own pride in the younger man’s accomplishment. Amongst all the excitement, Ray could only point at Joel with a small grin and felt himself grow warm as a sincere smile appeared on the older man’s face. 

In all his dreams of learning to fly, Ray had expected many things, but Joel Heyman was a different situation entirely, making Ray ponder all of the man’s previous actions. If being thrown off a cliff was any indication of what was ahead, Ray could only laugh as he found himself slightly terrified, but happily curious to start a new chapter in his life with Joel right at his side.


End file.
